Under the new policy, the province appears to have has shrugged off its potential to be a global energy leader and opted instead for mediocrity, bigger government and an adversarial relationship with the sector that has lined its pockets.

It's a deal that places Alberta alongside the hydrocarbon-rich Banana Republics of this world - places like Kazakhstan, Venezuela and Ecuador - where deals are ripped up and promises broken.

If you want proof that this was a bad idea, look at the identities of all the bloggers who either support this or believe Stelmach didn't punish those evil oil companies enough for the crime of buoying our provincial economy:La Revue GaucheDavebertaBuckDogTroy's Scribbles